Well, that's certainly strange to me, and like you, not what I would have expected. I suspect that you are now getting beyond my level of expertise with this, so if I catch up with him in the next day or two, I will ask my next door neighbour, who is a fully UK qualified electrician, and talks about this sort of stuff all the time.
Arfa
Ahhh ... Very possibly ... I'll still ask my neighbour, though ( see my other reply )
Arfa
Can you confirm that it was the main switch on the far left that tripped or was it the RCD in the middle? I suspect that the socket outlet only disconnects the live conductor and not the neutral, very common, hence your leakage providing a link between N and E possibly combined with the power supply tripping the RCD. The main switch on the left is purely a switch and contains no over current or RCD device, if that has turned itself off then someone's playing tricks or it needs to be changed, however I have never come across that 15 years.
On you main board the switch on the far left controls everything up to the RCD (RCD included), and the RCD everything after that. I my experience it's usually caused by an appliance somewhere, washing machine, cooker and anything plugged in outside seem to be the popular ones. Other less likely causes are loose contacts in a socket, and mice.
Wait and see if it happens again, and note down what was on when it went. If it seems to be at random get a spark in and get him to do an insulation test at 250v with live and neutral joined to earth with everything connected. It's not accepted practice but it usually finds the fault! In my mind nothing has happened that seems especially odd, and other than doing a quick test of earth loop impedance and RCD trip times for peace of mind, I wouldn't look any further and advise to wait and see.
It's a shame you don't live in Herefordshire or I'd offer to pop round and do a quick check for a cup of coffee!
Graham
Thanks Graham, appreciate your reply. Yes, it was the RCD switch that had opened.
As mentioned in my original post, it was the thought of it happening during my imminent holiday and leaving the fridge/freezer unpowered that troubled me most. But as you saw up-thread, I can at least avoid that risk by powering it from the cooker socket. Nevertheless, that's hardly satisfactory so I won't be comfortable until I've diagnosed the problem properly.
I've arranged for the original installing electrician to visit this evening. Apart from anything else he wants to do, I propose to repeat my earlier experiment. Both with the various devices connected and also disconnected.
Indeed! But a very welcome second-best would be for you to hang on in here with me in the thread until either I get a resolution or terminal boredom sets in ;-)
-- Terry, West Sussex, UK
If it only happened the once I would be inclined to leave it. There are a whole heap of things that can cause it trip, most of which are one time only events that dissappear as soon as it happens, such as power spikes. I would only investgate it heavily if it was tripping regually ( > once a month) and causing a nusance, otherwise your not likely to find a fault. As for plugging the freezer into the cooker, go ahead, it is common (and considered good practice) to provide a single socket that is not RCD protected and on its own breaker for it, Although that won't be allowed under the next regs, you will however be able to plug it in in the bathroom......
Graham
Is that a joke, or a serious comment for your neck of the woods ?
Arfa
Unfortunately not, under the next revision of the regs (17th edition) (proposed) socket outlets are permitted providing they are 3 m from a bath or shower and RCD protected. Currently no sockets can be installed in a room containing a bath or shower no matter how big the room is. It's mainly for B&B's and hotels that have a shower in the corner of the room. The rest of Europe has allowed them for many years. Local bonding in a bathroom has also been axed if all circuits in the bathroom are RCD protected.
I see a few RCD's fail every year, either taking too long trip or not tripping at all. I will not be installing sockets in bathrooms (except hotel rooms) and I will continue to do bonding regardless of whether or not the circuits have a RCD protection!
Please note that the 17th edition is still in draft stage and may be subject to change on final release. For anyone interested the current draft copy can be found here:
Graham
One of the entertainment venues I work at has no sockets in the dressing rooms because there are showers. When I enquired if we could fit RCD protected sockets, I was told in no uncertain terms No.
So what happens now is that artists plug their own mains extension cable into a socket in the corridor outside the dressing room and under the door!
Ron(UK)
-- Lune Valley Audio Public Address Systems Hire Sales Maintenance www.lunevalleyaudio.com
Boy oh boy. Considering all the crap that they recently subjected us all to with regard to not being allowed to wire up your own garden shed, or add new circuits, or even alter light fittings without getting Building Inspector approval and an electrician who's signed off to certify the job, that beggars belief ...
Arfa
Yup - this is exactly what some do for drying/clipping hair in their bathroom - so they can use the mirror.
I've oft wondered if a transformer isolated 13 amp socket - 3kW isolating transformer - would conform to the current regs?
--
*I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing *
Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk:
I doubt it. I belive current regs only permit an isolated transformer receptical for small motorised appliances or chargers, such as razors or toohtbrushes.
innews: snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk:
And I thought some of the USA regulations went too far.
H. R. (Bob) Hofmann
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